2016 Failla Pinot Noir Vivien
Market price
Buying options
Tasting notes
The 2016 Pinot Noir Vivien is a barrel selection that ended up being from Occidental, Peay, Keffer, and Hirsch in 2016 (one barrel each). A big, rich, concentrated effort, with awesome notes of black raspberries, toasted spice, dried flowers, and loamy earth, it hits the palate with a big, broad, structured feel, has terrific mid-palate density, and a huge finish. It’s a killer wine but needs a good 2-4 years of cellaring. Readers looking for a serious lineup of single vineyard Pinot Noirs and Chardonnay that have a distinctly Burgundian vibe need to check out these releases from Ehren Jordan and Savanna Wright. Failla owns prime terroirs on the Sonoma Coast, as well as has access to some of the best vineyards in the region. While these aren’t for those craving big, powerful wines, they have plenty of intensity as well as singular profiles. In addition to the Sonoma releases, Jordan’s Oregon releases and a few Rhône variety wines are also included in this report.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2016 Pinot Noir Vivien, a blend of fruit from Occidental, Keefer, Estate and Hirsch, is terrific. The blend of sites works beautifully. Sensual and deep in its first impression, with tremendous finesse, the Vivien is a wine where all the elements come together effortlessly. A dollop (12%) of whole clusters adds nuance to this super-classy Pinot from Failla.